This invention relates to new and useful improvements in arrow rests for archery bows.
Many archery bows now in use have accessory type arrow rests attached to them above the bow shelf. These rests are intended to provide accuracy in shooting in steadying the arrow shaft when the bow is drawn. It is known in the art that the large driving forces by the bowstring on the arrow cause the arrow shaft to deflect as it is driven from the bow by the bowstring. Such deflection can be in a lateral direction or a vertical direction, or both, and causes inaccuracy of intended arrow flight if not compensated for. Prior forms of arrow rests have been proposed to cradle the arrow and stabilize it to minimize lateral deflection. Devices have also been proposed to compensate for vertical deflection. Such arrow rests have been characterized by pivoted cradles that swing downward by the force of the deflected arrow shaft engaging the same.
As this type of device compensates for the deflection, however, it is important that it does not impart other undesirable forces on the arrow. For example, arrow rests that pivot down from one point tend to shift the arrow shaft laterally and of course this takes away its lateral accuracy. In addition to throwing off the intended flight of the arrow, single point, pivotally moving arrow rests have the disadvantage that the arrow engaging portions thereof can create a friction drag because of the angle created by the pivotal movement, thus adversely affecting shooting accuracy.
A further disadvantage of prior arrow rests is that they do not operate efficiently when small shafted arrows are used. That is, it is known that the most efficient arrows are of reduced diameter so as to be lighter in weight. Such arrows thus have more narrowly spaced fletching usually comprised of three evenly spaced tail feathers. The arrow engaging portions of prior arrow rests are quite large and bulky and the closer spaced tail feathers of the reduced dimension arrows cannot move through bulky arrow rests without engaging portions of the rest, thus again reducing the velocity and/or throwing the arrow off track.